The Stripes of the African Zebra

According to African mythology, the zebra is an animal not to be killed or eaten, but instead an animal to be protected. Unlike certain animals that have either red meat or white meat, zebras were considered to have "black meat" by the bushmen and therefore were not considered suitable for eating. The stripes of a zebra are a great advantage in the savannas of Africa due to the fact that when being chased by a lion, the herd creates confusion amongst predators as the stripes on their bodies fuse whilst fleeing at high speed, and it is therefore difficult for the lions to pick out an individual.